Device and method for producing glass products for primary pharmaceutical packaging

ABSTRACT

A device for producing glass products for primary pharmaceutical packaging is provided. The device includes a clamping chuck for clamping a glass product, a drive for driving the clamping chuck rotatingly about a longitudinal axis thereof, and a burner for heating a glass products received within the clamping chuck. The clamping chuck has a baffle structure for generating a gas current for cooling the clamping chuck when the clamping chuck is rotatingly driven about a longitudinal axis thereof while the glass product is heated above its softening temperature for hot-forming.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from German patent application 10 2016100 923.7, filed on Jan. 20, 2016. The entire content of this priorityapplication is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a device and a method for producing glassproducts suitable for primary pharmaceutical packaging.

2. Description of Related Art

During hot-forming of glass products, such as glass tubes, for producingpharmaceutical packagings, such as vials, carpules, syringes or ampules,often rotating devices are used in the hot-forming. Herein the tubes areloaded vertically through a hollow clamping chuck and are clamped behindthe region to be formed. The region to be formed advances clock-actuatedor continuously through several burner and forming stations. Aftercirculation on the parent machine the severing from the tool and atransfer to the bottom machine is performed. Herein the second end ofthe tube segment again advances through different burner and formingstations. Usual clamping chucks are designed to hold and guide the glasstubes.

However in the course of time a considerable heating of the clampingchucks occurs. At various burner stations flames may strike onto theclamping chucks and may lead to a locally higher thermal load (>400°C.).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention a device and a method forproducing glass products suitable for primary pharmaceutical packagingshall be disclosed that lead to an improved cooling of the clampingchuck during hot-forming.

According to another aspect of the invention a device and a method forproducing glass products suitable for primary pharmaceutical packagingshall be disclosed that lead to a selective cooling of the glass productduring hot-forming avoiding an undesired deformation at parts thereofthat shall not be deformed.

According one aspect of the invention there is disclosed a device forproducing glass products for primary pharmaceutical packaging,comprising: a clamping chuck for clamping a glass product; a drive fordriving said clamping chuck rotatingly about a longitudinal axisthereof; a burner for heating a glass products received within saidclamping chuck; wherein said clamping chuck comprises a baffle structurefor generating a gas current for cooling said clamping chuck when saidclamping chuck is driven rotatingly.

According another aspect of the invention there is disclosed a methodfor producing glass products for primary pharmaceutical packaging,comprising the steps of: providing a clamping chuck for clamping a glassproduct, said clamping chuck comprising a baffle structure; providing adrive for driving said clamping chuck rotatingly about a longitudinalaxis thereof; providing a burner for heating a glass products receivedwithin said clamping chuck; driving said clamping chuck about itslongitudinal axis; heating said glass product above its softeningtemperature while rotating said clamping chuck; hot-forming said glassproduct; and cooling at least said clamping chuck and/or said glassproduct selectively during rotation using said baffle structure.

The design of the baffle structure itself may vary in various ways toensure an optimized cooling of the clamping chuck, depending on thelocal conditions. Basically the cooling means is “passive”, i.e. thecooling effect is generated by a rotation of the clamping chuck. Thebaffle structure may be received at the clamping chuck, or the clampingchuck itself may be designed as a baffle structure, so that a coolingeffect is generated by the rotation of the clamping chuck.

In addition the clamping chuck is kept clean by the current action andpossible condensates that may settle on the clamping chuck or on theglass product, are also largely removed.

According to a further development of the invention the clamping chuckat its outer surface is designed as a baffle structure.

In this way the clamping chuck itself is used for cooling.

According to a further development of the invention at the clampingchuck a structured surface is provided for generating a gas current.

This is a possibility for generating a gas current.

According to a further development of the invention the clamping chuckcomprises a clamping head, the outer surface of which is provided withprotrusions that are configured as baffle elements.

Also in this way an effective cooling is ensured.

According to a further development of the invention the baffle structureis attached to the clamping chuck, in particular is welded thereon or issecured within recessions of the clamping chuck, in particular in slots,preferably by means of press-fitting.

By utilizing a separate baffle structure that is attached to theclamping chuck a particular effective cooling is reached.

According to a further development of the invention the baffle structureis configured as a plurality of baffle plates or ridges provided at theclamping chuck for generating a gas current.

In this way the effective cooling can be ensured.

According to a further development of the invention the baffle platesare surrounded from the outside by means of a cover, preferably of anannular shape.

In this way a particular suction effect can be generated.

According to a further development of the invention the baffle structurecomprises a plurality of baffle plates extending in axial direction orat an angle thereto.

The baffle plates may at least partially be straight, however, may alsobe at least partially curved.

With these embodiments an effective cooling can be ensured.

According to a further development of the invention the baffle platesare received on a central support body.

Thereby a simple mounting and securing of the baffle plates is ensured.

The support body according to a further development of the invention isshaped conically tapering to the outside.

In this way the support body can be adapted to the shape of the clampingchuck.

According to a further development of the invention the support bodyconsists of ridges or of a sheet that preferably is provided withrecesses.

In this way it can be ensured that the cooling effect is not onlygenerated outside of the support body, but also a cooling effect isgenerated within the space enclosed by the support body.

According to a further development of the invention the baffle platesare arranged at regular intervals displaced with respect to each other.

In an alternative design of the invention the baffle plates are arrangedhelically.

With both embodiments an effective cooling can be ensured.

According to a further development of the invention the baffle structureis configured for generating a gas current that is at least partiallydirected onto a glass product received within the clamping chuck.

Thus, the cooling effected at the clamping chuck also can be selectivelybe used for cooling the glass product, in particular within its clampingregion, to thus counteract undesired deformations of the glass productduring the hot-forming process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

It will be understood that the features of the invention mentionedbefore and to be mentioned hereinafter cannot only be used in therespective given combination, but also in different combinations orindependently, without departing from the scope of the invention.Further features and advantages of the invention can be taken from thesubsequent description of preferred embodiments with reference to thedrawings. In the drawings show:

FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified partially sectioned representation of arotary drive including a clamping chuck according to the invention;

FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate a clamping head of a clamping chuck, whereinthe outer surface is configured as a baffle structure;

FIGS. 3a to 3d illustrate a further baffle structure comprising aplurality of baffle plates; and

FIGS. 4a to 4d illustrate a further embodiment of a baffle structureaccording to the invention, wherein the baffle plates are arrangedhelically.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a device according to the invention isdesignated in total with numeral 10.

The device 10 comprises a clamping chuck 14 for receiving tube-shapedglass products 26. The clamping chuck 14 comprises a clampingarrangement of clamping rods 18 by means of which clamping means 16configured as additional clamping rods can be driven through assignedguiding openings within a clamping head 30 for clamping a tube-shapedglass product 26.

By means of the rotary drive 12 the clamping chuck 14 is drivenrotatingly, as indicated by the arrow 28.

To ensure a cooling of the clamping chuck 14, at the clamping chuck 14there is received a baffle structure that is designated in total with20.

Herein this is configured as a plurality of helically arranged baffleplates 38 which are held on a central support body 40. If the clampingchuck 14 is driven rotatingly by the rotary drive 12, then an aircurrent is generated by the baffle plates 38, such as indicated by thearrows 24.

In addition optionally the baffle plates 38 may be enclosed by anenvelope 22 which is preferably annular. In this way a suction effectbetween the envelope and the baffle plates 38 can be generated. Inparticular the air current is directed onto the outer end of theclamping chuck 14 in the region of the clamping head 30 wherein thestrongest heating is input.

In addition exemplarily a burner 29 is indicated by means of which theglass product 26 is heated up to a temperature above its softeningtemperature for hot-forming for then enabling a hot-forming process.Also with reference numeral a forming tool 25 is depicted exemplarilythat may be moved towards the glass product in the direction of arrow 27to facilitate hot-forming when the glass product 26 is heatedsufficiently above its softening temperature.

In FIGS. 2a and 2b an alternative design of a clamping chuck isdesignated in total with 14 a. Herein for similar parts correspondingreference numerals are used.

-   -   Herein only the clamping head 30 can be seen, within which a        central recess 31 for feeding a glass product 26 therethrough is        provided. At the outside three recesses 32 extend within the        clamping head 30 being configured as guiding openings for the        clamping means 16.

In the embodiment shown only the clamping head 30 is configured so thatits outer surface is designed vane-like, so that in total three bafflestructures are formed.

By the particular design of the outer shape of the clamping head 30 thusan air current and thus a cooling effect is generated without additionalbaffle plates.

In FIGS. 3a to 3d and 4a to 4d further embodiments of the bafflestructure according to the invention are shown exemplarily anddesignated in total with 20 a and 20 b, respectively. Again for similarparts corresponding reference numerals are used.

In FIGS. 3a to 3d a baffle structure 20 a is shown wherein the baffleplates 38 extend at even intervals with respect to each other along anouter perimeter of a central support body 40. The central support body40 herein extends conically to the outside, so that an adaptation of theshape to the conical shape of the clamping chuck 14 results.

Also with such a design a very effective cooling can be reached.

In FIGS. 4a to 4d a further design of a cooling means is designated intotal with 20 b.

This embodiment substantially corresponds to the embodiment according toFIG. 1, however without the envelope 22. In addition the central supportbody 40 is provided with recesses 42, such as in the shape of aperforated sheet. By these recesses 42 it is effected that the generatedair current acts not only outside of the support body 40, but alsowithin the space enclosed by the support body 40, so that also in thisregion a cooling of the clamping chuck 14 occurs.

Alternatively, instead of designing the central support body 40 with aperforated sheet also only a rod arrangement extending an axialdirection with several ridges could be provided, wherein the baffleplates 38 are secured. With such a design there results a particularlyeffective transfer of the generated air current also directly onto theclamping chuck 14.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for producing glass products for primarypharmaceutical packaging, comprising: a clamping chuck having additionalclamping rods for clamping a glass product; a drive for driving saidclamping chuck rotatingly about a longitudinal axis thereof; and aburner for heating the glass product received within said clampingchuck; wherein said clamping chuck further comprises a baffle structureconfigured to be rotated with the clamping chuck for generating a gascurrent for cooling said clamping chuck when said clamping chuck isdriven rotatingly.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said clamping chuckhas an outer surface that is configured as a baffle structure.
 3. Thedevice of claim 2, wherein at said clamping chuck there is provided astructured surface for generating a gas current.
 4. The device of claim3, wherein said clamping chuck comprises a clamping head, the outersurface being provided with protrusions that are configured as baffleelements.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said baffle structure issecured on said clamping chuck.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein saidbaffle structure is welded to said clamping chuck or is attached bypress-fitting.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the baffle structurecomprises a plurality of baffle plates provided on said clamping chuckfor generating a gas current.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein saidbaffle plates are enclosed from the outside by an annular enclosure. 9.The device of claim 1, wherein said baffle structure comprises baffleplates extending in axial direction or at an angle thereto.
 10. Thedevice of claim 9, wherein said baffle plates are at least partiallystraight.
 11. The device of claim 9, wherein said baffle plates are atleast partially curved.
 12. The device of claim 9, wherein said baffleplates are held on a central support body.
 13. The device of claim 12,wherein said support body tapers conically to the outside.
 14. Thedevice of claim 12, wherein said support body comprises openings. 15.The device of claim 14, wherein said support body is configured as aperforated sheet.
 16. The device of claim 12, wherein said support bodycomprises ridges whereon baffle plates are secured.
 17. The device ofclaim 9, wherein said the baffle plates are arranged at angularintervals displaced with respect to each other.
 18. The device of claim9, wherein said baffle plates are arranged helically.
 19. The device ofclaim 1, wherein said baffle structure is configured for generating agas current that is at least partially directed onto a glass productreceived within said clamping chuck.
 20. A device for producing glassproducts for primary pharmaceutical packaging, comprising: a clampingchuck having a clamping head through which additional clamping rodsextend to clamp a glass product; a drive for driving said clamping chuckrotatingly about a longitudinal axis thereof; a burner for heating theglass product received within said clamping chuck; a baffle structurefor generating a gas current for cooling said clamping chuck when saidclamping chuck is driven rotatingly, wherein said baffle structure is onan outer surface of said clamping head.
 21. The device of claim 20,further comprising baffle plates on a central support body driven bysaid clamping chuck.
 22. A device for producing glass products forprimary pharmaceutical packaging, comprising: a clamping chuck having aclamping head through which additional clamping rods extend to clamp aglass product; a drive for driving said clamping chuck rotatingly abouta longitudinal axis thereof; a burner for heating the glass productreceived within said clamping chuck; a baffle structure for generating agas current for cooling said clamping chuck when said clamping chuck isdriven rotatingly, wherein said baffle structure is on a central supportbody configured to be driven by said clamping chuck.
 23. The device ofclaim 22, wherein the baffle structure is baffle plates on the centralsupport body driven by said clamping chuck.
 24. The device of claim 22,wherein further comprising vanes on an outer surface of said clampinghead.